Toy firearm



April 7, 1 953 J. H. WEIMER ET AL TOY FIREARM Filed March 29, 1951 H M k f HarryJ Hockey, Sr.

BY j Y A ORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1953 TOY FIREARM John H. Weimer and Harry J. Rockey, Sr., Lancaster, Pa., assignors to The Hubley Manufacturing Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 29, 1951, Serial No. 218,152

4 Claims.

This invention relates to toy firearms, and more particularly to a composite toy made of plastic material and metal.

Toy pistols and the like have heretofore been made of cast iron or die cast metal, or even metal stampings, for the primary reason that metals are fireproof in the sense that they are resistant to the searing fire of cap detonation, and also for the further reasons that such metals lend themselves to conventional manufacturing practices such as casting or stamping. The matter of longevity in a toy of this type is not a consideration in using metal because, as is well known, they soon become lost or broken, or seasonal replacements and changes in style force them into the discard. Moreover, it has been customary in the past to form the anvil element integrally with the body. One of the objects of the present invention is to make it possible to provide a light weight plastic body while preserving the use of metal detonating mechanism and a metal anvil unit the latter being made separate from the body for assembly therewith. While it might be feasible to make some parts of the detonating mechanism of plastic material, nevertheless, it is not only impractical but impossible to make the anvil and hammer of plastic because of the destructive erosive, eating away, or burnin effects of the fire and gas discharge incident to detonation of caps on plastic material. Moreover, the bearing pins for supporting the detonating mechanism cannot readily be made of plastic because it is too soft to even moderately withstand the abrasive action of moving parts under stress of moveinent and jarring of the hammer.

Accordingly,fa'special object is to provide a toy firearm, including a light weight plastic, paper or other non-metallic body, having the detonating mechanism supported on metal bearing pins, and a separate metallic or similar fireproof or fire resistant anvil unit. In that connection, it is also proposed to construct the anvil unit to include lateral shield or guard means for damping the lateral flash of the explosion for safety of the user as well as for protection of the adjacent parts of the plastic, or other non-metallic body adjacent the striking face of the anvil.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical half section of a toy firearm constructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing the anvil unit and the detonating mechanism in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the primary element of the anvil unit;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the plastic body showing more clearly the metal pins or studs used for supporting the parts of the detonating mechanism;

Figure 4 is an exploded detail perspective view illustrating a modified form of anvil unit; and

Figure 5 is another exploded detail perspective view illustrating a further modification of the anvil unit;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a further modified form of anvil unit;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of supporting the bearing pins for the detonating mechanism in the plastic body.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

As previously indicated, a distinctive feature of the present invention resides in making the body of the firearm including the barreland stock portions of plastic or other non-metallic material while utilizing a metallic detonating mechanism and a metallic or equivalent fireproof or fire-resisting anvil unit. In that connection, it may be pointed out that the firearm illustrated in the present drawings is of the break-barrel type shown in the patent to Brubaker, No. 2,137,- 154, dated November 15, 1938, and the detonati-ng and barrel control mechanism shown herein are essentially the same as that shown in the patent referred to and will not be further described here.

The body of the firearm consists of what may be conveniently termed a stock section A and a barrel section B each made of molded non-metallic material by usual procedure and hingedly connected at C to enable the user to open or break the barrel to obtain access to the cap feeding magazine by manipulatin the finger piece D after the fashion of the patent referred to.

The detonating mechanism comprises a trigger E, cap tape feeding means F, and a hammer G, all operating in conventional manner.

It will, of course, be understood that the completed firearm includes two mating halves A-and two mating halves B, and Figure 1 illustrates one of these halves upon which the various parts of the detonating mechanism and anvil unit may be assembled before the other is connected therewith.

The barrel release mechanism is controlled by the trigger D and its upper latch end cooperates with a metal stud or keeper pin l and the moving parts of the detonating mechanism are supported on the metal bearing pins 2, 3 and 4. These metal pins are all held or supported in plastic socket elements S as shown in Figure 3 and after the fashion shown in Figure 7, said sockets being in both complementary halves of the plastic body and, of course, medially exposed where they act as journals or bearings for the latch end of the barrel control lever D and the moving parts E, F and G of the detonating mechanism. This arrangement provides hard surfaced long wearing strong journal elements for the parts which bear the most strain, abrasion or friction, and which assure positive and smooth operation of these parts over a long period of time which would be impossible-if plastic or other soft nonmetallic bearing pins were used.

The hammer G is inten led to cooperate with the anvil unit of metal or equivalent material designated generally as H and which includes an anvil element proper and flame guard means as will presently appear. The basic part of the anvil unit is shown in Figure'2. part includes a striking portion 5 for cooperation with hammer Grand. a lower tape feeding arm 6 for cooperation with, the tape feedingelement F of the detonating mechanism. The upper portion of the anvil element is provided with an angularly disposed forwardly extending supporting arm I having the general shape characteristics or profile shown and provided at least on one side with a notch 8 intended to interlock with a keeper projection 9--formed in a groove I0 in theupper rear portion of the barrel section B. It will thus be understood that the supporting arm '1 may be laidinto the groove IU- so that its recess 8 fits over the projection 9 to prevent the anvil unit from sliding longitudinally. The mating half of the barrel section also has a groove like the groove 1 0 toreceive the edge of the arm 1 opposite the notch 8. In addition, the tape feeding arm 6 of the anvil element is provided with a laterally projecting stud l l adapted to enter an opening or'hole [2 in the'plastic-bodyrto further anchor the anvil unit in the body; Under these circumstances, the anvil element is firmly held in the body against longitudinal displacement and also against angular or hinging movement-likely to be manifested bypressureexertedgagainst the tape feedinglarm 6 during the tape feedingmovement and under the-:blows of the spring urged hammer G. It will, of course, be understood, as above suggested that the side of the supporting arm"! opposite the notch or recess 8, and likewise the side edge of the tape feeding arm 6 of the anvil unit willfit into mating parts in other half of the plastic barrel section B. It has been found necessary only to use one stud II to assure adequate stability of the anvil element in the plastic body but, of course, it is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to provide another stud or its equivalent on the opposite side of the tape feeding arm, if desired.

When the anvil element of the anvil unit H of Figure 2 is assembled in the body, proper detonation-of the caps between the hammer G and the anvil will be assured.

Figure 4 of the drawings illustrates a modification of the anvil unit H to the extent that while allof the characteristics of said anvil element shown in Figure 2 are preserved, the side portions of the body B adjacent the striking face 6 of the anvil element may be provided with metallic flame guards I2. These guards are preferably provided with struck-out tongue portions I 3 adapted to flt in a mating hole in the body and may be also cemented or otherwise secured if desired to the body at each side of the cap .detonating portion 5 of the anvil unit. Thus, the anvil 56-! and the flame or explosion guards |2-l 3 together provide an anvil unit including a safety detonating chamber which not only protects the portion of the plastic body at the sides of the anvil against the searing erosive effects of the explosion but also confines the products of explosion so that injury to the user is unlikely.

Figure 5 of the drawings illustrates a further carrying forward of the shield or guard feature of the anvil unit H, wherein one side of the anvil element may be provided with an integral guard portion 54. Said'guard portion is preferablyin the, form of an car which is either formed directly with the striking portion '5 of the anvil element or rigidly securedthereto during the process of manufacture. A companion guard or shield 15, in the form of a metal stamping may be used to complement the guard IA. As will' be seen from Figure 5, the guard 15 is carried by an angularly disposed supporting web I6 whose end opposite the guard 15 terminates in a plate-like supporting wing H. The part thus described is preferably a metal stamping. As shown, the portion I1 "is provided with an opening I8 intended to fit over the laterally projecting stud H- of the anvil-element so that the web 1.6 underlies the striking section 5- of the anvil element in order to effect assembly of ll with the metallic-anvil element by metallic parts. In addition the wing I! may be provided withan opening 19 for fitting over the plastic post 20 in' the magazine chamber which is of sufficient length to support the reel of caps. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent relative rotary motion of the part I! about pin II when it enters opening'l8, thereby to hold the guard I5 accurately in registry with the guard I 4 integral with the anvil unit.

Figure 6 illustrates a further modification of the anvil element of the-anvil unit H wherein both sides of said element are provided with in tegral. guard orshield elements I 4*.

From the foregoing, it is, now believed apparent that the primary object of the invention is fulfilled by providing a metallic anvil unitH which includes an anvil unit having a cap detonating portion .5, supporting, means 6 and I together with guard means. which may take the form'of the shields l2 and 13 of Figure 4, or the guard parts i l and l fi'of'Figure 5 and the integral guard l4. of Figure 6: This range of modification with respect. to'the flame guards of the unit His desirable. in view of the. different grades or types of firearms that might be made. In some cases where a low-cost pistol is desired for comparatively short life purposes, it may not be necessary to make fireproof flame guards at the sides of the anvil element, While in other firearms intended for premium markets it may be preferable to utilize the metallic form of flame guards.

Moreover, it is believed to be now apparent that the present invention provides a firearm wherein the body portion may be made of light weight molded non-metallic material such as suit' able plastic, paper or the like while the working parts and the anvil unit may be made of metal to: accomplish the two-fold object ofgsuccessful and positive operation while preserving the safety factor with respect to preventing the spread of the flame incident to cap explosion and also preventing said flame from eating into the plastic side-s of the firearm adjacent the striking face of the anvil so that it will not be eaten away or damaged by the flame.

We claim:

1. A toy firearm, comprising, in combination, a body of plastic material having an opening in a side wall thereof and also having a groove provided therein with an offset keeper projection, a detonating mechanism including a hammer supported in said body, and a metal anvil element comprising a striking portion and a downwardly inclined tape feeding arm, a supporting arm angularly disposed relative to said feeding arm and having notch means for engaging with the projection in said groove, and a stud projecting from one side of the tape feeding arm for engaging in said opening in the body, said stud, the notch means and the projection means on the supporting arm preventing displacement and rocking of the anvil member when assembled to the body.

2. A toy firearm, comprising, in combination, a body of plastic material including a magazine portion having a centrally disposed cap reel supporting post, detonating mechanism including a hammer supported in said body; and an anvil unit including a metal anvil element having a striking portion, a tape feeding arm and a supporting arm, said tape feeding arm having a laterally projecting stud for engaging with the body; a flame guard rigid with one side of the striking portion of the anvil, and a second flame guard disposed at the other side of the striking portion of the anvil and including a wing having openings connected by an angular portion underlying the striking portion of the anvil element, one of said openings in the wing engaging over said stud and the other opening engaging with said post on the body.

3. A toy firearm, including, a body formed of mating half -sections and having a magazine portion provided below the upper edge thereof with inwardly opening grooves, an ofiset keeper projection in one of said grooves, and a detonating anvil element, including a supporting arm interlocked with said grooves against relative vertical and sidewise displacement and having notch means in one edge for engaging the keeper projection in said groove to lock the arm against lengthwise displacement.

4. A toy firearm, including, a body formed of mating half-sections and having a magazine portion, said magazine portion provided below the upper edge thereof with inwardly opening grooves, an offset keeper projection in one of said grooves, a detonating anvil element, including a supporting arm interlocked with said grooves against relative vertical and sidewise displacement and having notch means in one edge engaging with the keeper projection in said groove to lock the arm against lengthwise displacement, said anvil element also including a relatively depending angular portion comprising a striking face and a tape feeding portion, and a stud projecting from one edge of the said tape feedin portion.

JOHN H. WEIMIER. HARRY J. ROCKE'Y, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,123,195 Kilgore Dec. 29, 1914 1,588,404 Gehrig June 15, 1926 1,718,247 McWhirter June 25, 1929 1,794,364 Chilson Mar. 3, 1931 2,137,154 Brubaker Nov. 15, 1938 2,527,254 Hjelm Oct. 24, 1950 

